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Homesteader Plow removal

Hi, I new to this forum, so please excuse if this has been asked, I have had a Homesteader 7'4 plow on my Chev avala. for 2 seasons (this is the 2nd) but I am have a hard time removing the plow when I thru plowing, is there some trick that anyone has to remove as easy as stated. My problem is pulling the pins that hold the plow in, they don't retract very easily.

Mine's 3 months old and I have the same difficulty. In my case, it's usually that the truck front end needs to be pulled down to free up the pin.

It's very hard to pull down on the suspension and twist the pin at the same time. I have resorted to using an old wooden handle that is 4' long to pry upward on the plow frame while twisting the pin.

Those "jacks" they supply are nearly useless IMHO. I plan to fit a trailer jack or old scissors jack to the frame for easier install/removal. That way, you can actually jack the frame up or down to match the loading on it. Once you get it matched, the pins move freely.

If you guys read the instructions that came with the plow and follow them the plow will come off and go on easy as pie.

They attach useing the same basic system as the MM- to take them off make sure the blade lift mechinism is ALL the way retracted, drop the lack leg (which is actually called a support leg), push the head gear BACK TOWARD the truck until the support leg clicks into the next hole- if you cannot easily remove the pins now, pull the pin WHILE pushing back on the headgear (toward the truck) and they will remove.

If the truck needs to be lower- you're not doing it right OR you're trying to remove the plow on an unlevel surface. I have to put wood blocks under the cutting edge and support leg once there has been some snow accumulation on the ground which changes the surface height from the truck to the plow.

you should almost never need to jack anything, the truck down/the plow up/ etc. The only time you need to jack is when the ground defrosts and the blade sinks in the mud.

There should be a big sticker on the back of the blade with instructions for installation and removal too.

95% of the trouble installing or removing a MM style plow (from the homesteader up through the big commercial ones) is operator error (failure to follow directions or improper method), 4% is from the ground getting soft and the blade sinking in.

Please don't take this as insulting- the fact is if you fail to follow Fisher's directions you WILL have difficulty and if you DO follow Fisher's directions the greatest trouble you will have is aligning the push plates with the plow frame.

I had one of these plows for three years. The trick is to while all your connections are still connected and the plow is in (float mode) push up on the headgear under the light assembally so the piston extends as far as the recivers will let it. Then as you are doing this put the supplyed jack in the headgear and tighten the lockdown on it. If you do this correctly when you release the headgear it will relieve the tention on the pin at the reciver.
Make sure that you don't unhook the wire conections untill you have done this step. The plow controls need to be in float mode and if you disconntec any connector it will turn off power to the plow and lock the piston.

The truck is on level ground, float mode is enabled, there is still pressure on the plow frame just from its own weight.

What you're saying to do is quite difficult. To lift up on the plow frame AND insert the jacks is not so easy to do. The jacks have a slide that must engage a tab receiver on the frame. Even lifting on the frame while adjusting the jack results in some settling after you release the frame.

I've tried every sort of method even after following the directions to a T. It's a lousy system and I challenge anyone to do it in a minute

>drop the lack leg (which is actually called a support leg), push the head gear BACK TOWARD the truck until the support leg clicks into the next hole

You are leaving the key on in the truck and the electrical plugs as the last thing to disconnect, right? Once power to the plow is interupted it is out of float- turning off the key or unplugging will lock the lift ram which could easily cause difficulty setting the jacks at the right height AND pushing the plow gear back.

There's a trick to it- subliminally and once you get it it'll be a breeze. It's hardly a minute for removal or installation, but compaired to the effort required to mount the old style blades it's easy.

I'm sure your local Fisher dealer would be happy to look at the system for you to make sure there's nothing bent/broken/wrong causing the difficulties and show you the easiest way to mount/dismount.

Mine offers free plow inspection clinics every year and has checked out my system for bends and problems a couple of times.

>You are leaving the key on in the truck and the electrical plugs as the last thing to disconnect, right?

Yep.

>It's hardly a minute for removal or installation

Yep, that was meant as a joke. I put a big smiley face after that comment.

>but compaired to the effort required to mount the old style blades it's easy.

I've owned a few Westerns before. They didn't have spring loaded pins or beveled receivers but once I finished fine tuning them, they weren't bad. I see some room for improvement here too. I'm making some casters for the blade and found a nice swivel trailer jack for $19 that I hope to mount to the frame. Should make it easy to dis/mount and roll around.

Thanks for taking the time to write out the procedure and sharing your hints!

Any time- that's what we're all here for. I hated my MM1 system when I first bought this truck, coming from an old speedcast system. It took me an entire season of commercially plowing to get the hang of it, and the end of the second season before I really accepted and liked the system. None of them are perfect- (but I'll take those spring loaded pins over a hydraulic clamp which is connected to my lift ram anyday!)

Can you imagine---- "New from Superio Plows Inc., the 'Hour- Mount'!! Have your plow system on and off the vehicle in just over an hour! With only 16 convieniant bolts and lock nuts (of vasious random sizes) the blade and mount cleanly detach from the front of the truck leaving absolutly no indication it was there*! Simple Driver control system gives the ultimate control in all situations (telephonic key pad requireing plow movement functions entered in alpha-numeric coded combinations)

*No indication statement does not refer to notched front bumpers, notched air dams, removed air dams, notches or cutouts in truck grill, push plates or attachment parts still attached to the truck frame, displacement and/or remounting of front bumper or any other modifications that may or may not be necessary in the normal installation process of this universal-fit system to your specific vehicle.

One other tip I can give you is that the way to get the jacks in as you are pushing up on the headgear is to put one foot on the bottom of the jack. It is kinda hard to explain but it is just as JUSTME explained after you find a way that works for you it will be a piece of cake and you will do it almost robticaly.

For what its worth I attached a bungee cord to each side of the plow gear and use it to keep the jacks in place. reduced the number of times the jacks fall out when I'm moving the thing around or times that one jack falls out when I'm putting the other in and levelling it. Less cursing.

As for timing, probably takes 5-10 min for me to set up or unload the plow. Not looking for any records... waiting for the day that I forget to unplug the connectors and drive away with the cables attached...

If you guys read the instructions that came with the plow and follow them the plow will come off and go on easy as pie.

They attach useing the same basic system as the MM- to take them off make sure the blade lift mechinism is ALL the way retracted, drop the lack leg (which is actually called a support leg), push the head gear BACK TOWARD the truck until the support leg clicks into the next hole- if you cannot easily remove the pins now, pull the pin WHILE pushing back on the headgear (toward the truck) and they will remove.

If the truck needs to be lower- you're not doing it right OR you're trying to remove the plow on an unlevel surface. I have to put wood blocks under the cutting edge and support leg once there has been some snow accumulation on the ground which changes the surface height from the truck to the plow.

you should almost never need to jack anything, the truck down/the plow up/ etc. The only time you need to jack is when the ground defrosts and the blade sinks in the mud.

There should be a big sticker on the back of the blade with instructions for installation and removal too.

95% of the trouble installing or removing a MM style plow (from the homesteader up through the big commercial ones) is operator error (failure to follow directions or improper method), 4% is from the ground getting soft and the blade sinking in.

Please don't take this as insulting- the fact is if you fail to follow Fisher's directions you WILL have difficulty and if you DO follow Fisher's directions the greatest trouble you will have is aligning the push plates with the plow frame.

Click to expand...

I'm the idiot that was implied here. I finally had snow here in the Albany,ny area. After plowing I read the instruction line for line and it worked, it was the easiest it ever came off the truck. I wished my dealer gave me those instuctions. Well thanks for all your response and happy plowing

Everyone struggles with the MM system at first, especially a couple storms in because what the dealer says is kind of forgotten, or they are in a hurry and give brief talk through instead of showing you expecting you will read the book, which we, as a whole, are conditioned against as a society.

Glad you have it worked out.

BTW I believe the plugs will unplug themselves if you forget and back away- the MM systems are set specifically to do that- done it myself a couple of times.

You must be using a connector plate. I ran mine free hanging so I didn't have to modify my grill. Those connectors are tough to separate! I could probably drag the whole assembly by those connectors

I had a good dismount experience this morning. Went very smooth and the pins retracted very easy. I still find it hard to apply any pressure to the plow gear while adjusting those jacks. I like the bungee idea.